Little Israel is a world leader in medicine, science, technology, and so much more.

And – the greatest explosion of Torah learning in Jewish history has taken place here with the generous help of the secular Zionists, and the religious Zionists (the Mizroochnikim).

And this you call “golus by Jews.” We have never had it better.

Now take a closer look at that “great article of faith” and you should be struck by the realization that for that statement alone the charedi community should be held in absolute contempt. The ugly assertion that we, your fellow Jews, impose upon you an exile worse than any you have ever experienced, is more than enough reason for us to reject you and all you supposedly stand for. That despicable hashkafah is not Torah.

Furthermore, if the golus you suffer by the hands of fellow Jews is so bad, in fact the “worst golus,” why don’t you leave, run away, save yourselves from “this terrible exile.” Breath the fresh air of France, the tranquility of the Ukraine, join the Moslems of England. Save your souls from enslavement to us. The “goldeneh medina” beckons. Be free of the yoke of tziyonim and mizroochniks, get a green card. Boro Park here we come. Why stay here and suffer. Go be rid of us.

Come to think of it – since the Eritreans and Sudanese like it here so much, so maybe an exchange of populations can be arranged.

I am very surprised that the Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation did not soundly condemn this “hashkafah” which can only be described as mega-loshon hora against Klal Yisrael for subjecting their brothers and sisters to such awful golus.

There is, of course, a secondary gain from this statement that is warmly welcomed. The people of Chutz L’Aretz don’t even have to consider aliyah at all. Who would willingly subject his family to the “worst golus of all.”

Take note: the ugly “golus by Jews” hashkafah places you right down there with the world’s anti-Semites, who accuse Israel of apartheid.

I suspect that the purveyors of that lie have been entrapped in the web of their own extreme rhetoric, “gezeras hashmad,” “destroyers of Torah,” “chareidi haters.” You have begun to believe that it is really so. What a pity.

I suggest that Hamodia publicly disassociates itself from that abhorrent, poisonous hashkafah, asks for forgiveness from all of us, and expresses thanks and gratitude to Hashem for all His kindness. If you may be in a truly penitent mood, ask yourselves whether you are really the victims of unbridled, undeserved hatred, or have you contributed in great measure to what may be a reaction to your own contempt for everything that is sacred and holy to the “people who reside in Zion.” Think about it. Think about it honestly and seriously.

The nation’s flag is “a shmatteh on a shteken” (“a rag on a stick”), the national anthem was written by a drunk. As a matter of fact, the flag is beautiful, and a study of Hatikvah will reveal its power to move a nation.

For you, Yom Haatzmaut is nothing, Yom Hazikaron raises the serious issue of, chasv’shalom, standing for two minutes silence of which you have made into some bogus nonsensical crime (you really made many friends with that). Yom Hashoah is all wrong. Even Yom Yerushalayim is unknown in your community. You don’t say the Prayer for the Welfare of the State, nor do you pray for the safety of the soldiers who protect you so that you can learn Torah (that one really made you very popular). In fact, I can’t think of a single area in which you participate with the rest of Klal Yisrael. In one of my more aggressive moments I asserted that since the State and the IDF have been doing so well for 66 years without your prayers, let’s better leave it that way. We don’t want to rock the boat, you know.

About the Author:Rabbi Sholom Gold is the Rav of Kehilat Zichron Yoseph in Har Nof.

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BUT. It saddens me so very much to see Jews fighting with each other and demanding apologies from each other and accusing each other of chilulei hashem. I wish we could all just respond with gentleness to each other even when we think the other guy is profoundly wrong, as I do think the Charedim are profoundly wrong on the issues Rabbi Gold discusses.

I was very disappointed and upset at the Jewish Press when Yanover was fired for his sensationalist headline, a headline which really, as you know, said it as it is.
With Rabbi Gold's article, you have redeemed yourselves somewhat.
Molly Ratner